Valve-operating mechanism



A'pril 22. .1924.

E. H. BELDEN VALVE OPERATING MBCHANISM Filed Feb. 24

l 0 5 uuawwmmw mz M @ttor/14mg Patented Apr. 22, 1924.

UNITED i STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD H. BELDEN, F TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 THE 'WILLYS-OVERLAND COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

VALVE-OPERATING MECI-IANISM.

Application filed February 24, 1919. Serial No. 278,739.

To `all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. BnLDnN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at v directed along a line parallel with the axis" of eac-h valve stem, so that .no side pressure acts upon the valve stem to cause it to wear or bind in the bearing. i

A further olject of the invention is 'to provide a valve operating mechanism in which the valves are actuated from the cam shaft through the medium of a pull rod in place of the customary push rod.

A furtherobject of the invent-ion is to provide aconstruction wherein the valves of the oppositely inclined cylinders may -be operated from a common cam shaft.

A further object of the invention is to provide a plurality of springs for controllingthe movement of the valve operating mechanism whereby the force exerted upon each valve is in a direction axially of the valve stem. l

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the character de scribed which shall be enicient in operation, and of simple construction.

Further objects of the invention relate to economies of manufacture and details of construction, as will hereinafter appear from the detailed description to follow.

rThe objects of the invention are accomplished in one instance by the devices and means described in the following specification, but it is evident that the same may be varied widely without departing from the scope of the invention, as pointed out in the appended claims. v

- A. structure constituting one embodiment f my invention, whichmay be the preferred, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings-forming a part hereof, in which is shown a vertical sectional view of an in- 55 tcrnal combustion engine, illustrating the position of the operating parts of the Valve controlling mechanism.

Referring to the numbered parts of the drawing, the engine comprises cylinders 10, which are arranged in two series or rows. The several cylinders are mounted upon a crank case 11, in which is journaled the crank shaft 12. The pistons 13 operating in the cylinders 10 are connected to the crank shaft 12 by connecting rods 14. f Cylinder heads 15 are suitably connected to the cylinders of each series in any well known manner, an outer jacket 16 surrounding portions of the cylinders and cylinder heads for the purpose of providing a water cooling space about the cylinders; Intake and exhaust ports, one of which is shown in connection with each cylinder and designated by reference numeral 18, are provided in the cylinder heads, each being provided with a valve seat 19 at a point where it communicates with the interior of one of the cylinders. y A i Valves 2O are provided with portions adapted to seat upon each valve seat, each of said valves being provided with a valve stem 21, extending upwardly therefrom and slidably mounted in a valve sleeve 21. A cam shaft housing 22 is firmly secured to ledges 23 extending inwardly `from the oppositely inclined portions of the cylinder casing by means of bolts or other suitable fastening means 24e. The cani shaft housing encloses the cam shaft 25, which extends in a direction parallel to the engine crank shaft and in snbstantiallyithe same vertical plane therewith. The cam shaft is provided with a plurality of cam elements 26 adapted to co-operate with a plurality of oppositely extending rocker arms 27, for the purpose of actuating the valves 20. The rocker arms 27 are positioned in such a manner as to extend in opposite direction from the cam shaft so as to properly actuate the valves carried by the two rows of oppositely inclined cylinders. Each of the rocker arms 27 is preferably provided at its inner endA with a roller 28, which is adapted to rest upon the cam shaft and be actuated by one of the cam elements carried thereby.

Openings 29 are provided in the Walls of the cam shaft housing through which the several rocker arms are adapted to project; said rocker arms being pivotally mounted at points 29 adjacent to the said openings 29. Each of the rocker arms is pivotally connected at its outer end, or that end which is farthest removed from the cam shaft, as at 30, to a pull rod 3l. Each of the pull rods 3l is firmly secured at its opposite end to a head plate 32. Each of the pull rods is capable of movement in a direct-ion longitudinally thereof, and is adapted to communicate movement to one of the head plates 32 for the purpose of actuating the corresponding valve. The movement of eac-h head plate 32 under the influence of the corresponding rocker arm is confined to movement in a direction substantially at right angles to its length by means of a sliding sleeve 33, firmly secured to the head plate7 and adapted to slide within and hear against a bushing 34 mounted within an opening formed in a` portion of the casing. The extension 35 of the casing in which the above mentioned opening is formed serves as a support for the head plate 32 and parts associated therewith, and also serves as a guide to direct the movement of the head plate when actuated by its corresponding rocker arm.

Each valve stem 2l is provided with a head 36 upon the upper surface of which is adapted to bear a portion of the head plate 32, for the purpose of actuating the valve upon movement of the head plate in one direction. A compression spring 37 surrounds each valve stem and bears at one end upon a plate 38 carried by a portion of the casing, and at its opposite end against a cup shaped washer 39, which is adapted to be retained in position upon the end of each valve stem by means of a split washer 4t() bearing against the head 36 formed on the valve stem. By reason of this construction the compression spring acts at all times to retain the valve seated against the valve seat, and serves to immediately return the valve to proper position whenever the pressure exerted by the head plate 32 for the purpose of opening the valve is removed.

A compression spring 41 bears at one end against a ledge l2 formed in a portion of the casing, and at its opposite end against that end of the head plate 32, which is opposite to that portion of the head plate adapted to press against the upper surface of the valve stem. Separate casing members 43 are adapted to be secured to the cam shaft casing at opposite sides thereof for t-he purpose of partially covering and protecting the openings 29 formed in the sides of the casing, and preventing in a measure the mechanism enclosed in the timing gear casing from dust or other foreign matter liable to be admitted through the opening 29. It will be understood that openings are provided in these additional casing members 43 of sufcient size to admit the rocker arms and provide for the necessary movement of the same. Each cylinder is preferably provided with an intake and an exhaust valve,

which are of similar construction and operated in the same manner as the valve illustrated in the drawings.

In the operating of the mechanism shown and described, the cam shaft is adapted to be operated from the engine crank shaft in the usual or any suitable manner. As the cam shaft rotates the cam elements carried thereby engage the rollers 28 carried upon the ends of the rocker arms, thereby successively and at proper intervals rocking the several arms at their pivot points 29 for the purpose of properly actuating the several valves. As each of the arms 27 is rocked, movement is communicated thereby through the corresponding pull rod 31 and the head plate secured thereto. Movement of the head plate under the influence of the pull communicated thereto is maintained in a direction substantially at right angles to its length by means of the guide sleeve 33 slidably mounted within the bushing 34. counter-balancing pressure exerted by the compression springs 37 and 4l, which bear against the under surface of the head plate at points diametrically opposed to the point of connection of the pull rod therewith serves to assist the guiding sleeve in preventing rocking of the head plate and in compelling bodily movement of the same in a direction substantially at right angles to its length. The springs 37 and 4l also serve to return the head plate to its original position upon the removal of the pull exerted thereupon by movement of the corresponding rocker arm, and thus permit the valve to be returned to its seat under the influence of the spring 37.

It will be noted that this construction permits the valve stem to move readily 'in a direction axially thereof without being subjected to any pressure in a direction at an angle to its longitudinal axis, thus preventing binding of the valve stem within its bearing. The opening within the guide sleeve 33 is of suflicient size to permit such side-wise movement of the pull rod as will be necessary by reason of the fact that the pivot-al point-s 30 move in the arcs of circles without allowing the pull rods to strike against the interior surface of the guide sleeve. It will be apparent that this construction provides a simple, eliicient, valve operating mechanism which is positive in its operation and prevents any undue strain from the valve stem. Moreover, by means of this construction all of the various cylinders in an engine of the V-type can be operated from a common cam shaft in an elcient manner. The positioning of the cam shaft and elements associated therewith between the oppositely inclined rows or The lllO

series of cylinders serves to arrange these parts in a position where they are protected from injury while being readily accessible for the purpose of repair.

While I have shown and described in considerable detail a specific embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that this showing and description is illustrative only, and for the purpose of rendering the invention more clear, and that I do not regard the invention as limited to the details of-con struction illustrated or described, nor any of them, except in so far as I have included such limitations within the terms of the following claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in the invention broadly as wellas specifically.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an internal combustion engine comprising a plurality of cylinders arranged in pairs, a common cam shaft positioned intermediate the cylinders of each pair and located directly above the crank shaft of the engine, a plurality of rocker arms actuated by said cam shaft, a valve co-operating with cach cylinder and provided with a valve stem, a pull rod connected to one end of each rocker arm and extending in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of the valve stem, and a head for each valve resiliently mounted at its ends and connected intermediate thereof with one of said pull rods and operated thereby for actuating the corresponding valve.

2. In an internal combustion engine comprising a plurality of cylinders arranged in pairs, a common cam shaft positioned intermediate the cylinders of each pair, a plurality of rocker arms actuated by said cam shaft, valve operating mechanism operated by each rocker arm comprising a head resiliently supported at points near the opposite ends thereof and displaceable in a direction substantially at right angles to its length, a pull rod connected at one end to the intermediate portion of the head, and at its opposite end to one of the rocker arms, and a valve stem contacting with the head at a point near one extremity thereof.

3. In an internal combustion engine of the V-type, a common cam shaft positioned between the oppositely inclined cylinders, a plurality of oppositely extending horizontally positioned rocker arms adapted to be operated by the cam shaft, a valve mechanism comprising a valve, a valve stem secured thereto, a head plate resiliently supported at points near its ends, a pull rod 4connected at one end to the head plate at a point intermediate the ends thereof and at its opposite end to one o-f the rocker arms, and means for operating the valve from the head plate.

4. In an internal combustion engine of the V-type, a common cam shaft positioned between the oppositely inclined cylinders, a plurality of rocker arms adapted to be o-perated by the cam shaft, valves positioned within the cylinders, and means for operating said valves from the rocker arms comprising a head plate displaceable in a direction substantially at right angles to its length, means for preventing longitudinal and tiltinfT movement of said head plate, and means carried by one end of each rocker arm for communicating movement to the head plate.

5. In an internal combustion engine having a spring closed valve and a rocker arm for opening the same, a stem for said valve, a reciprocable head for operating said stem, means for limiting the motion of said head to a linear movement parallel to said stem, means effective to substantially counteract the turning movement of said valve spring in said head, and a connection between said rocker arm and said head.

6. An' internal combustion engine comprising a plurality of cylinders, a common cam shaft positioned intermediate the cylinders, a mechanically operated valve carried by each cylinder, a head plate mounted to move bodily in a direction substantially at right angles to its length, means for operating the valve fromthe head plate, and a rocker arm operated by the cam shaft for producing a displacement of the head plate in a direction substantially at right angles to the length thereof.

7. An internal combustion engine comprising a plurality of cylinders, a cam shaft positioned intermediate the cylinders, a mechanically operated valve carried by each cylinder, a valve stem therefor,ahead plate resiliently supported at each end thereof, means secured to said plate for guiding the same ina path parallel to said stem for actuating the valve, and a rocker arm operated by the cam shaft for producing a displacement of the head plate in a direction substantially at right angles to the length thereof.

8. In an internal combustion engine, a tappet valve, a cross head arranged to act directly upon said valve to shift it to open position, a fixed cylindrical guide upon the engine, a tubular slide fixed at one end to said head and reciprocable in said guide, a pull rod attached to said head and extending through said tubular slide, a rocker arm pivoted at one end to the free extremity of said pull rod, and means operated from a moving part of the engine for moving the opposite end of said rocker arm.

9. In an internal combustion engine having a valve and a rocker arm for operating the same, a stem for said valve, resilient mea-ns for moving said valve in one direction, a slidably mounted heed having one end enga-ging said stem for moving the saine in the opposite direction, a resilient member 5 engaging the opposite end of Said head,

means engaging said head at an intermediate point for limiting its motion to a rectilinear movement parallel to said stem, and means operatively connecting Said heady with sind Focke;` arm. 10

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

EDWARD H. BELDEN. 

